Insulin-like growth factor-I stimulates differentiation of ATII cells to ATI-like cells through activation of Wnt5a

Manik C. Ghosh, Vijay Gorantla, Patrudu S. Makena, Charlean Luellen, Scott E. Sinclair, Andreas Schwingshackl, Christopher M. Waters

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

Alveolar type II (ATII) epithelial cells play a crucial role in the repair and remodeling of the lung following injury. ATII cells have the capability to proliferate and differentiate into alveolar type I (ATI) cells in vivo and into an ATI-like phenotype in vitro. While previous reports indicate that the differentiation of ATII cells into ATI cells is a complex biological process, the underlying mechanism responsible for differentiation is not fully understood. To investigate factors involved in this differentiation in culture, we used a PCR array and identified several genes that were either up-or downregulated in ATI-like cells (day 6 in culture) compared with day 2 ATII cells. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) mRNA was increased nearly eightfold. We found that IGF-I was increased in the culture media of ATI-like cells and demonstrated a significant role in the differentiation process. Treatment of ATII cells with recombinant IGF-I accelerated the differentiation process, and this effect was abrogated by the IGF-I receptor blocker PQ401. We found that Wnt5a, a member of the Wnt-Frizzled pathway, was activated during IGF-I-mediated differentiation. Both protein kinase C and β-catenin were transiently activated during transdifferentiation. Knocking down Wnt5a using smallinterfering RNA abrogated the differentiation process as indicated by changes in the expression of an ATII cell marker (prosurfactant protein-C). Treatment of wounded cells with either IGF-I or Wnt5a stimulated wound closure. These results suggest that IGF-I promotes differentiation of ATII to ATI cells through the activation of a noncanonical Wnt pathway.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)L222-L228
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Volume305
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2013

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)R01HL094366

    Keywords

    • Alveolar epithelial cell
    • Alveolar type I
    • Alveolar type II
    • Prosurfactant protein-C

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Physiology
    • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
    • Physiology (medical)
    • Cell Biology

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